Fluid flow device



Dec. 28, 1965 T. CECH, SR

FLUID FLOW DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1963 m T m V m Dec. 28, 1965 T. CECH, SR 3,225,700

FLUID FLOW DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 196.3 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 28, 1965 CECH, 5 3,225,700

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United States Patent 3,225,700 FLUID FLOW DEVICE Edward T. Cecli, S12, Albuquerque, N. Mex., assignor to William Kaiser, Albuquerque, N. Mex. Filed Oct. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 313,537 6 Claims. (Cl. 103139) This invention relates to a fluid flow device, and more particularly to a rotary pump having axially movable vanes.

In the prior art relating to fluid flow devices there are various different types of rotary pumps having axially movable vanes. Most of such devices, however, either are complicated in construction, requiring a considerable number of parts, or are of a relatively simple construction, but which have lower efficiencies.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved fluid flow device.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved fluid flow device suitable for use either as a pump or a fluid motor.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary pump having axially movable vanes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary pump having linear, nonpulsating fluid discharge.

A further object of this invention is to provide an im proved rotary pump having axially movable vanes which is reversible.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a rotary pump having axially movable vanes with improved sealing means.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary pump in which two diverse fluids may be pumped without intermixture of the fluids.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved fluid flow device which is simple in construction, comprises relatively few parts, is easy to assemble and disassemble and is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of the rotor and cam plate members of the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIGURE 3.

In general, the present invention provides a fluid flow device suitable for use as a pump or a motor, comprising a casing having supply and exhaust ports and a closed chamber. Disposed within the chamber is a shaft journalled in the casing on which there is mounted a rotor member. The chamber is provided with annular cam surfaces disposed on each side of the rotor member, having parallel contours with portions thereof in sealing engagement with the rotor member defining at least one operating chamber on each side of the rotor. The rotor is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial slots. Mounted on the rotor is a retainer ring having a plurality of axially extending slots registerable with Axially slidable vanes are mounted in registered slots in the rotor member and the 3,225,730 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 retainer ring, having the opposite edges thereof engaging the opposed cam surfaces. Each of the operating chambers is provided with inlet and outlet ports which communicate with the fluid supply and exhaust ports in the device.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Numeral 10 designates a cylindrical casing provided with a circular recess 11 in the front face 12 thereof, having a cylindrical wall 13 and an end wall 14. The recess 11 in the casing is closed by an end plate member 15, mounted on the front face 12 of the casing by means of a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolts 16 to provide a cylindrical chamber within the casing. The front face 12 of the casing also is provided with an annular recess 17 which is adapted to receive a sealing ring 18 and end wall 14 of the recess 13 is provided with a shallow recess 19, as best seen in FIGURE 3.

Axially mounted in the device is a shaft 20, having the rearward end thereof journaled in a circular recess 21 formed in the end wall 22 of the shallow recess 19, and an intermediate portion thereof in an opening 23 in the end plate member 15. A stuffing box 24 is mounted on the exterior portion of the shaft and is secured to the end plate member 15 by means of bolts 25. The inner surface of the stufling box is provided. with an annular recess 26 which is adapted to receive a sealing ring 27. The stuffing box 24 is provided with a cylindrical portion 28 having an internally threaded surface 29 for receiving a packing seal screw 30 mounted on the shaft which compresses an annular packing ring 31 mounted on the shaft and disposed within the stuffing box. The exterior end of the shaft is provided with suitable means for mounting a pulley member 32 or other suitable drive means there- Mounted on the shaft within the cylindrical chamber of the casing is a rotor member 33 having an annular peripheral portion 34 and an enlarged axially disposed bore 35' in the front face thereof for receiving a collar portion 36 of the shaft. The rotor is rigidly secured to the shaft by means of a downwardly and rearwardly extending opening 37 in the front face of the rotor member having a threaded portion for receiving a set screw 38 which engages a registerable notch 39 in the cylindrical surface of the shaft. As best illustrated in FIGURE 4, the annular portion 34 of the rotor member is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially disposed slots 40. Mounted on the annular portion 34 of the rotor member and engageable with the cylindrical surface 13 of the chamber in the casing is a retainer ring 41 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially disposed slots 42 which are registerable with the radial slots 40 in the annular portion of the rotor member. Each pair of registered slots in the annular portion of the rotor member and the retainer ring is provided with an axially slidable vane 43, having substantially a rectangular shape.

The opposite edges of the vanes 43 engage a pair of parallel opposed cam surfaces 44 and 45 of annular cam member 46, mounted on the end surface 22 of the recess 19 by means of bolts 47 and an annular cam plate member 48, which is secured to the inner face 49 of the end plate member 15. The inwardly facing annular cam surface 44 of carn plate member 46 is provided with a high sector 50, a diametrically opposed parallel low sector 51 and ascending and descending sectors 52 and 53 adjoining the high and low sectors thereof. The high and low sectors 50 and 51 include an arc of approximately each and the ascending and descending sectors 52 and 53 extend over an arc of aproximately 40 each. As best seen in FIG- URE 3, the high sector 50 of the cam surface 44 engages the annular surface 54 of the annular portion of the rotor member and the low sector 51 is spaced parallel therefrom to provide an operating chamber 55 extending over an arc of approximately 20.

The contour of the cam surface 45 of the cam member 48 is similar to the above described contour of the cam surface 44 of the cam plate member 46, comprising a high sector 56, a diametrically opposed low sector 57 and ascending and descending sectors 58 and 59 adjoining the high and low sectors 56 and 57. Similar to the cam surface 44, the opposed high and low sectors 56 and 57 of the cam surface 45 extend over an arc of approximately 140 each and the ascending and descending sectors 58 and 59 thereof extend over an arc of approximately 40 each. The high sector 56 of the cam surface 45 engages the annular surface 60 of the annular portion 34 of the rotor member which is disposed parallel to the annular surface 54 thereof, and the low sector 57 thereof is spaced parallel to the annular surface 60 of the annular portion 34 of the rotor to provide an operating chamber 61 extending over an arc of approximately 220. The cam plate members 46 and 48 are orientated approximately 180 apart relative to each other, so that the opposed cam surfaces 44 and 45 will be parallel and the operating chambers 55 and 61 are diametrically opposed on either side of the annular portion 34 of the rotor member.

The operating chamber 55 further is sealed by means of an inner sealing ring 62 disposed between the rotor member and the inner cylindrical surface of the cam plate member 46 and an outer sealing ring 63 disposed between the cam plate member 46 and the retainer ring 41. The operating chamber 61 similarly is sealed by means of an inner sealing ring 64 disposed between the rotor member and the cam plate member 48 and an outer sealing ring 65 disposed between the cam plate member 48 and the retainer ring 41.

The cam plate member 46 is provided with an axially extending arcuate inlet port 66 disposed at the descending sector 52 of the cam surface thereof and an axially extending arcuate outlet port 67 disposed at the ascending sector 53 of the cam surface thereof, each of which communicates with the ends of the operating chamber 55. Similarly, the cam plate member 48 is provided with an axially extending arcuate inlet port 68 disposed at the descending sector 59 of the cam surface thereof and an axially extending arcuate outlet port 69 disposed at the ascending sector 58 of the cam surface thereof, each of'which communicates with the ends of the operating chamber 61.

The casing member is provided with a fluid supply inlet 70 in the rear wall thereof, in which there is threaded a fluid supply conduit 71 and a fluid exhaust port 72, in which there is threaded a fluid exhaust conduit 73. Fluid is supplied to operating chamber 55 from fluid supply inlet 70 through diagonally extending passageways 74 and 75 which communicate with an arcuate opening 76 in the bottom wall 22 of recess 19 registered with the arcuate opening 66 in cam plate member 46. The casing 10 also is provided with axially extending openings 77 and 78 intercommunicating with diagonal passageways 74 and 75 in the casing and aligned openings 79 and 80, respectively, in the end plate member 15. Fluid is supplied from passageways 79 and 80 to operating chamber 61, by means of diagonally extending passageways 81 and 82 intercommunicating with passageways 79 and 80, respectively, and arcuate recess 83 in the inner wall 49 of the end plate member disposed in registry with arcuate opening 68 of end plate member 45. Fluid is exhausted from operating chamber 55 through the outlet port 67 in the end plate member 46, a registered arcuate recess 84 in the end wall 22 of recess 19, and diagonally extending passageways 85 and 86 which intercommunicate with the arcuate recess 84 and exhaust port 72. Fluid also is exhausted from operating chamber 61 through arcuate recess 87 formed in the inner wall 49 of the end plate member in registry with the outlet port 69 in cam plate member 45, diagonally extending passageways 88 and 89 in the end plate member,

axially extending passageways 90 and 91 and axially extending passageways 92 and 93 in the casing member 10 disposed in alignment with passageways 90 and 91 in the end plate member and communicating with diagonal passageways and 86. As best shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the diagonally extending passageways in the casing and end plate member preferably are formed by drilling deep holes from the outside cylindrical surfaces of the members and plugging the openings with suitable plugs 94. It will be understood, however, that the aforementioned passageways can be formed by any suitable means.

The rotary pump as described may be assembled first by mounting the cam plate member 46 in the recess 19 in the end Wall 14 in the casing member and securing the same to the casing member by means of bolts 47. The sealing rings 62 and 63 next are positioned on the cam plate member 46. With the sealing rings 62 and 63 in position, the retainer ring 41 is inserted in the casing. Next, the shaft with the rotor 33 mounted thereon by means of the set screw 39 is inserted into the casing so that the end of the shaft is journaled in the circular recess 21, and the annular surface 54 of the annular portion 34 of the rotor member engages the high sector 50 of the cam plate member 46. The rotor then is orientated so that the radial slots 40 are aligned with the axially disposed slots 42 in the retainer ring, and the vanes 43 are mounted in the registered slots. Sealing ring 64 then is mounted on the rotor. With the cam plate member 45 mounted on the inner surface 49 of the end plate member and the sealing ring 45 mounted on the cam plate member 45, the end plate is then mounted on the shaft 20 and secured to the casing 10 by means of the bolts 16. It will be appreciated that in mounting the cam plate members 45 and 46 to the casing and end plate members, the cam plate members are properly orientated so that the inlet and outlet ports thereof register with the associated recesses in the casing and end plate members, and the low sectors 51 and 59 of the cam surfaces thereof are diametrically opposed. The sealing ring 18 is placed in the annular recess 17 of the front face of the casing member to provide a suitable seal between the end plate member and the casing member. The stuffing box member 24 with the sealing ring 27 in place then is mounted on the shaft and secured to the outer face of the end plate member by means of the bolts 25. The packing ring 31 then is mounted on the shaft within the stufling box member, and is expanded into sealing relation with the shaft by means of the packing screw 30, which is mounted on the shaft and threaded into the stuifing box member.

In the operation of the device, it will be appreciated that the rotating vanes 43 will draw fluid in through the supply paggaseways 70 through diagonal passageways 74 and 75, arcuate recess 76, and inlet port 66 into operating chamber 55, and exhausted through outlet port 67, arcuate recess 84, diagonally extending passageways 85 and 86, and out through exhaust port 72. Simultaneously, fluid will be drawn by the rotating vanes through diagonal passageways 74 and 75, axially disposed passageways 77 and 78, aligned passageways 79 and 80, diagonally extending passageways 81 and 82, arcuate recess 83 and inlet port 68 in the cam plate member into operating chamber 61. After the fluid has been forced through operating chamber 61, it is discharged through outlet port 69, arcuate recess 87, diagonally extending passageways 88 and 89, axially extending passageways and 91, aligned passageways 92 and 93, diagonally extending recesses 85 and 86 and out through exhaust port 72. It will be appreciated that with the operating chambers 55 and 61 orientated out of phase relative to each other, a linear, nonpulsating flow of fluid is exhausted through port 72. Also it Will be appreciated that the shaft can be driven in either direction when the device is used as a pump and the flow of fluid can be in either direction or reversed to provide a braking action when the device is used as a fluid motor.

.out intermixing such fluids.

The device also is adaped to be modified so that it can be used to pump two diverse fluids simultaneously with- This is provided simply by plugging axially extending passageways 71, 78, 92 and 93 in the casing member or passageways 79, 80, 90 and 91 in the end plate member and utilizing the diagonal extending passageways in the end plate member as inlet and outlet passageways for operating chamber 61. It will be noted that diagonal passageways 77, 78, 92 and 93 can be plugged as illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 to provide coordinated pumping action by the operting chambers 55 and 61 whereby a single fluid is pumped having a linear,non-pulsating flow or such plugs may be removed and either axially extending passageways 79, 80, 90 and 91 or passageways 77, 78, 92 and 93 can be plugged to provide independent pumping of two diverse fluids by the operating chambers, simultaneously without intermixing the two fluids.

The various components of the present invention can befabricated from any suiltable materials and by any suitable means. However, it is preferred that the casing and end plate be of aluminum, the shaft, rotor and cam plates of tool steel and the vanes and sealing rings sealing the operating chambers of Teflon. The sealing rings 17, 27 and 31 can be of any suitable conventional matemotor comprising a casing having supply and exhaust ports, said casing having a chamber, a shaft disposed inv said chamber and journaled in said casing, a rotor member mounted on said shaft in said chamber, said chamber having annular cam surfaces disposed on each side of said rotor member having parallel contours with portions thereof in sealing engagement with said rotor member defining at least one operating chamber on each side of said rotor, said rotor having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial slots, a retainer ring mounted on said rotor having a plurality of axially extending recesses registerable with said radial slots in said rotor, each of said radial slots in said rotor having an axially slidable vanemounted therein extending into a registered recess in said retainer ring and having the opposite edges thereof engaging said cam surfaces, said operating chambers having inlet and outlet ports, said device having fluid passage means communicating with said supply port and said inlet ports and said device having fluid passage means communicating with said outlet ports and said exhaust port.

2. A fluid flow device suitable for use as a pump or a motor comprising a casing having supply and exhaust ports, said casing having a cylindrical chamber, a shaft axially disposed in said chamber and journaled in said casing, a rotor member mounted on said shaft in said chamber, cam plate members mounted in said chamber on each side of said rotor member, said cam plate members having inwardly facing cam surfaces having parallel contours with portions thereof in sealing engagement with said rotor member defining at least one operating chamber on each side of said rotor, said rotor having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial slots, a retainer ring mounted on said rotor having a plurality of axially extending recesses registerable with said radial slots in said rotor, each of said radial slots in said rotor having an axially slidable vane mounted therein extending into a registered recess in said retainer ring and having the opposite edges thereof engaging the cam surfaces of said cam members, said cam plate members having inlet and outlet ports communicating with said operating chambers, said device having fluid passage means communicating with said supply port and said inlet ports of said cam plate members and said device having fluid passage means communicating with said outlet ports of said cam plate members and said exhaust port.

3. A fluid flow device suitable for use as a pump or a motor comprising a casing having supply and exhaust ports, said casing having a cylindrical chamber, a shaft axially disposed in said chamber and journaled in said casing, a rotor member having parallel annular faces on each side thereof mounted on said shaft in said chamber, cam plate members mounted in said chamber on each side of said rotor member, each of said cam plate members having an inwardly facing annular cam surface disposed adjacent an annular face of said rotor, each of said cam surfaces having a high sector in sealing engagement with the adjacent annular face of said rotor, a low sector disposed parallel to the adjacent annular face of said rotor and diametrically opposed ascending and descending sectors adjoining said high and low sectors defining an operating chamber on each side of said rotor, said cam surfaces being disposed parallel relative to each other, said operating chambers having inlet and outlet ports, said rotor member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial slots, a retainer ring mounted on said rotor member having a plurality of axially extending slots registerable with said radial slots in said rotor member, axially slidable vanes mounted in registered slots in said rotor member and said retainer ring having the opposite edges thereof engaging said cam surfaces, said device having fluid passage means intercommunicating with said supply port and said inlet ports in said operating chambers and said device having fluid pas sage means intercommunicating with said outlet ports in said operating chambers and said exhaust port.

4. A fluid flow device suitable for use as a pump or a motor comprising a casing having supply and exhaust ports, said casing having a cylindrical chamber, a shaft axially disposed in said chamber and journaled in said casing, a rotor member having parallel annular faces on each side thereof mounted on said shaft in said chamber, cam plate members mounted in said chamber on each side of said rotor member, each of said cam plate members having an inwardly facing annular cam surface disposed adjacent an annular face of said rotor, each of said cam surfaces having a high sector in sealing engagement with the adjacent annular face of said rotor, a low sector disposed parallel to the adjacent annular face of said rotor and diametrically opposed ascending and descending sectors adjoining said high and low sectors, said cam surfaces being disposed parallel relative to each other, said rotor member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial slots, a retainer ring mounted on said rotor member having a plurality of axially extending slots registerable with said radial slots in said rotor member and surrounding said cam plate members, sealing means disposed between the rotor member and each cam plate member, sealing means disposed between said retainer ring and each cam plate member defining an operating chamber on each side of said rotor, axially slidable vanes mounted in registered slots in said rotor member and said retainer ring having the opposite edges thereof engaging said cam surfaces, said operating chambers having inlet and outlet ports, said device having fluid passage means intercommunicating with said supply port and said inlet ports in said operating chambers and said device having fluid passage means intercommunicating with said outlet ports in said operating chambers and said exhaust port.

5. A fluid flow device suitable for use as a pump or a motor comprising a casing having fluid supply and exhaust ports, said casing having a cylindrical chamber, a shaft axially disposed in said chamber and journaled in said casing, a rotor member having an annular portion with parallel annular surfaces on each side thereof mounted on said shaft in said chamber, cam plate members mounted in said chamber on each side of said rotor member adjacent the annular portion thereof, each of said cam plate members having an inwardly facing annular cam surface disposed adjacent an annular face of said rotor, each of said cam surfaces having a high sector in sealing engagement with the adjacent annular face of said rotor, a low sector disposed parallel to the adjacent annular face of said rotor and diametrically opposed ascendim and descending sectors adjoining said high and low sectors, said cam surfaces being disposed parallel relative to each other, the annular portion of said rotor member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial slots, a retainer ring mounted on said rotor member having a plurality of axially extending slots registerable with said radial slots in said annular portion of said rotor member and surrounding said cam plate members, sealing rings disposed between said rotor member and said cam plate members and said retainer ring and said cam plate members defining an operating chamber on each side of said rotor, axially slidable vanes mounted in registered slots in the annual portion of said rotor member and said retainer ring having the opposite edges thereof engaging said cam surfaces, said operating chambers having inlet and outlet ports, said casing having fluid passage means intercommunicating With said fluid supply port and said inlet ports and said casing having fluid passage means intercommunicating with said outlet ports and said exhaust port.

6. A fluid flow device suitable for use as a pump or a motor comprising a casing having fluid supply and exhaust ports, said casing having a circular recess in a front face thereof, an end plate mounted on said front face of said casing to provide a cylindrical chamber in said device, a shaft axially disposed in said chamber and journaled in said casing and an axial opening in said end plate, a rotor member having an annular portion with parallel annular surfaces on each side thereof mounted on said shaft in said chamber, a first annular cam plate member mounted on the end wall of said recess adjacent the annular portion of said rotor, a second annular cam plate member mounted in said chamber on the inner I wall of said end plate member adjacent the annular portion of said rotor, said cam plate members each having an inwardly facing annular cam surface disposed adjacent an annular face of said rotor, each of said cam surfaces having a high sector in sealing engagement with the adjacent annular face of said rotor, a low sector disposed parallel to the adjacent annular face of said rotor and diametrically opposed ascending and descending sectors adjoining said high and low sectors, said first and second cam members being oriented apart relative to each other to provide parallel cam surfaces, the annular portion of said rotor member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial slots, a retainer ring mounted on the annular portion of said rotor member having a plurality of axially extending slots registerable with said radial slots in the annular portion of said rotor member and surrounding said cam plate members, sealing rings disposed between said rotor member and said cam plate members and said retainer ring and said cam plate members defining an operating chamber on each side. of said rotor, diametrically opposed relative to each other, axially slidable vanes mounted in registered slots in the annular portion of said rotor member and said retainer ring having the opposite edges thereof engaging said cam surfaces, said cam plate members having axially extending inlet and outlet openings disposed at the ascending and descending sectors of the cam surfaces thereof, said casing and end plate member having fluid passage means intercommunicating with said fluid supply port and said inlet openings in said cam plate members and said casing and end plate members having fluid passage means-intercommunicating with said outlet openings in said cam plate members and said exhaust port.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 609,027 8/1898 Hilton et al. 91-126 628,960 7/1899 Parker 91-126 761,512 5/1904 Lecomte 91-126 969,353 9/1910 Evans 123-16 1,686,767 10/1928 Saxon 123-16 1,743,977 1/1930 Peterson 103-139 1,839,638 1/1932 Beals et al. 123-16 2,154,458 4/193'8 Knapp 103-139 2,646,753 7/1953 Zoll 103-139 FOREIGN PATENTS 893,197 1/ 1944 France.

KARL J. ALBRECHT, Primary Examiner. JOSEPH H. BRANSON, IR., Examiner. 

1. A FLUID FLOW DEVICE SUITABLE FOR USE AS A PUMP OR A MOTOR COMPRISING A CASING HAVING SUPPLY AND EXHAUST PORTS, SAID CASING HAVING A CHAMBER, A SHAFT DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER AND JOURNALED IN SAID CASING, A ROTOR MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER HAVING ANNULAR CAM SURFACES DISPOSED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID ROTOR MEMBER HAVING PARALLEL CONTOURS WITH PORTIONS THEREOF IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ROTOR MEMBER DEFINING AT LEAST ONE OPERATING CHAMBER ON EACH SIDE OF SAID ROTOR, SAID ROTOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RADIAL SLOTS, A RETAINER RING MOUNTED ON SAID ROTOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY EXTENDING RECESSES REGISTERABLE WITH SAID RADIAL SLOTS IN SAID ROTOR, 